Article 61 Conservation of the Living Resources
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Accepted author manuscript of the following book chapter: Harrison, J., & Morgera, E. (2017). Commentary to Articles 61-65. In A. Proelß (Ed.), United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea : A Commentary (pp. 480-526). Oxford: Hart Publishing. Article 61 Conservation of the living resources James Harrison, University of Edinburgh Elisa Morgera, University of Strathclyde 1. The coastal State shall determine the allowable catch of the living resources in its exclusive economic zone. 2. The coastal State, taking into account the best scientific evidence available to it, shall ensure through proper conservation and management measures that the maintenance of the living resources in the exclusive economic zone is not endangered by over-exploitation. As appropriate, the coastal State and competent international organizations, whether subregional, regional or global, shall cooperate to this end. 3. Such measures shall also be designed to maintain or restore populations of harvested species at levels which can produce the maximum sustainable yield, as qualified by relevant environmental and economic factors, including the economic needs of coastal fishing communities and the special requirements of developing States, and taking into account fishing patterns, the interdependence of stocks and any generally recommended international minimum standards, whether subregional, regional or global. 4. In taking such measures the coastal State shall take into consideration the effects on species associated with or dependent upon harvested species with a view to maintaining or restoring populations of such associated or dependent species above levels at which their reproduction may become seriously threatened. 5. Available scientific information, catch and fishing effort statistics, and other data relevant to the conservation of fish stocks shall be contributed and exchanged on a regular basis through competent international organizations, whether subregional, regional or global, where appropriate and with participation by all States concerned, including States whose nationals are allowed to fish in the exclusive economic zone. Bibliography David J. Attard, The Exclusive Economic Zone in International Law (1987) Richard Barnes, The Convention on the Law of the Sea: An Effective Framework for Domestic Fisheries Conservation?, in: David Freestone/Richard Barnes/David M. Ong (eds.), The Law of the Sea: Progress and Prospects (2006), 233-260 Patricia Birnie/Alan Boyle/Catherine Redgwell, International Law and the Environment (3rd edn. 2 2009) William T. Burke, The New International Law of Fisheries: UNCLOS 1982 and Beyond (1994) William T. Burke, U.S. Fishery Management and the New Law of the Sea, AJIL 76 (1982), 24-55 John F. Caddy/Rubin Mahon, Reference Points for Fisheries Management: FAO Fisheries Technical Paper. No. 347 (1995) Donna R. Christie, The Conservation and Management of Stocks Located Solely Within the Exclusive Economic Zone, in: Ellen Hey (ed.), Developments in International Fisheries Law (1999), 395-419 Juliet Eilperin, US Tightens Fishing Policy, Setting 2012 Catch Limits for All Managed Species, Washington Post, 8 January 2012 David Freestone, Implementing Precaution Cautiously: The Precautionary Approach in the Straddling and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks Agreement, in: Ellen Hey (ed.), Developments in International Fisheries Law (1999), 287-325 James Harrison, Making the Law of the Sea (2011) Moritaka Hayashi, The Straddling and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks Agreement, in: Ellen Hey (ed.), Developments in International Fisheries Law (1999), 55-83 Douglas M. Johnston, International Law of Fisheries (1965) Marion Markowski, The International Law of EEZ Fisheries (2010) Gerald Moore, The Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries, in: Ellen Hey (ed.), Developments in International Fisheries Law (1999), 85-105 Myron H. Nordquist/Satya N. Nandan/Shabtai Rosenne (eds.), United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982: A Commentary, vol. II (1993) David M. Ong, Towards an International Law for the Conservation of Offshore Hydrocarbon Resources within the Continental Shelf?, in: David Freestone/Richard Barnes/David M. Ong (eds.), The Law of the Sea: Progress and Prospects (2006), 93-114 Donald R. Rothwell/Tim Stephens, The International Law of the Sea (2010) Charlotte Salpin, The Law of the Sea: A Before and An After Nagoya?, in: Elisa Morgera/Matthias Buck/Elsa Tsioumani (eds.), The 2010 Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-sharing: Implications for International Law and Implementation Challenges (2012), 149-183 Yoshifumi Tanaka, A Dual Approach to Ocean Governance (2008) Francisco O. Vicuña, The Exclusive Economic Zone: Regime and Legal Nature under International Law (1989) Harrison/Morgera 3 Documents Conservation and Management Plan for Marine Turtles of the Atlantic Coast of Africa (2008) COP CBD, Decision Adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity at Its Tenth Meeting: X/29. Marine and Coastal Biodiversity, UN Doc. UNEP/CBD/COP/DEC/X/29 (2010) COP CBD, Decision Adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity at Its Tenth Meeting: Decision X/2. The Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, UN Doc. UNEP/CBD/COP/DEC/X/2 (2010) COP CBD, Decision Adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity at Its Eleventh Meeting: Decision IX/20. Marine and Coastal Biodiversity, UN Doc. UNEP/CBD/COP/DEC/IX/20 (2008) COP CBD, Decision Adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity at its Seventh Meeting: VII/5. Marine and Coastal Biological Diversity, UN Doc. UNEP/CBD/COP/DEC/VII/5 (2004) COP CBD, Report of the Fifth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, UN Doc. UNEP/CBD/COP/5/23 (2000) COP CBD, Report of the Fourth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, UN Doc. UNEP/CBD/COP/4/27 (1998) COP CBD, Report of the Second Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity, UN Doc. UNEP/CBD/COP/2/19 (1995) COP CMS, Bycatch of CMS-Listed Species in Gillnet Fisheries, UN Doc. UNEP/CMS/Resolution 10.14 (2011) COP CMS, Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Sharks, UNEP Doc. CMS/Sharks/Outcome 1.2 (2012), Annex 3 (Conservation Plan) FAO, International Guidelines on Bycatch Management and Reduction of Discards (2011) FAO, Report of the Twenty-Ninth Session of the Committee on Fisheries, Doc. FIPI/R973 (2011) FAO, International Plan of Action to Prevent, Deter, and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (2001) FAO, International Plan of Action for the Conservation and Management of Sharks, International Plan of Action for Reducing Incidental Catch of Seabirds in Longline Fisheries, International Plan of Action for the Management of Fishing Capacity (1999) FAO, Code of Conduct on Responsible Fisheries (1995) Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation and Management of Marine Turtles and their Harrison/Morgera 4 Habitats of the Indian Ocean and South-East Asia Conservation and Management Plan (2009) Secretary General, Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development, UN Doc. A/42/427 (1987) Single Species Action Plan for the Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta caretta) in the South Pacific Ocean (2014) UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, GA Res. 61/295 of 13 September 2007 UN World Summit on Sustainable Development, Report of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, UN Doc. A/CONF.199/20 (2002) UNCED, The Rio Declaration on the Environment and Development, UN Doc. A/CONF.151/5/REV.1 (1992), ILM 31, 874 UNCED, Report of the United Nations Conference on the Environment and Development, UN Doc. A.CONF/151/26/REV.1 (Vol. I) (1992), 9-479 (Agenda 21) Cases ICJ, Fisheries Jurisdiction Case (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland v. Iceland), Merits, Judgment of 25 July 1974, ICJ Reports (1974), 3 PCA, The North Atlantic Coast Fisheries Case (Great Britain v. United States of America), Award of 7 September 1910, RIAA XI, 167 ITLOS Seabed Disputes Chamber, Responsibilities and Obligations of States Sponsoring Persons and Entities with Respect to Activities in the Area, Advisory Opinion of 1 February 2011, available at: http://www.itlos.org/fileadmin/itlos/documents/cases/case_no_17/adv_op_010211.pdf PCA (Arbitral Tribunal Constituted under Annex VII UNCLOS), The Chagos Marine Protected Area Arbitration (Mauritius/United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Award of 18 March 2015, available at: http://www.pca-cpa.org/showpage.asp?pag_id=1429 ITLOS, Request for an Advisory Opinion Submitted by the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission (SRFC), Advisory Opinion of 2 April 2015, available at: https://www.itlos.org/en/cases/list-of- cases/case-no-21/ Contents I. Purpose and Function 1 II. Historical Background 5 III. Elements 11 1. ‘conservation and management measures’ 11 2. ‘maximum sustainable yield’ 13 3. ‘allowable catch’ 16 4. Other Conservation Measures 17 5. Generally Recommended International Minimum Standards 18 6. Best Available Scientific Evidence and the Precautionary Principle 21 7. Exchange of available Scientific Information 26 Harrison/Morgera 5 8. Cooperation with Competent Organization 27 9. Associated Species 28 10. Outlook 30 I. Purpose and Function 1 The establishment of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) means that most of the world’s fish stocks are now